A Part of Me
by Quig Alchemist
Summary: Vash and Meryl have gone together to save the Meryl's father from Braxis, an almost feared kidnapper. They will have to disguise themselves and....what's Meryl wearing? Come along on this humorous adventure, but beware...it might be deadly for a character
1. Chapter 1

D/C: I don't own Trigun, even though I wish I did… Please enjoy this little part of me! ;)

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A Part of Me

Chapter 1

"Hey Insurance Girl, wanna listen to some music?" Vash asked, and grinned broadly. He turned to face his short companion in the seat beside him. Meryl rolled her eyes to his goofy grin.

"Sure Broomhead." Meryl said, folding her arms, concealing a tiny smile. "Why not?" Vash immediately busied himself with the jeep's radio knobs, twisting and turning them in all directions. The radio emitted static irritatingly. Not a single melodic sound came from the speakers. Vash screwed up his face in a frown, honestly having no idea what he was doing. This was a rental after all.

Then Meryl gasped with a scream, and yanked the wheel, nearly avoiding another vehicle.

"What the hell are you thinking Idiot?" She yelled, smacking his face with an open palm. Meryl glared at him and pursed her lips.

"I guess when I'm driving, it really isn't the best time to fiddle with the radio…" Vash mumbled sheepishly, with the hint of a smile.

"Darn right." Meryl huffed, and folded her arms again.

Vash and Meryl had been driving like this for nearly an hour. The dust billowed from the trails left by the tires, choking the air with thick smoke. The blistering heat was the only relieved by the jeep's AC, as the suns burned directly overhead in the endless blue sky.

The two travelers were making their way to the small place called Caver City. It was a relatively small, almost unknown town. However, something big had taken place there, marking it boldly on the map. A man named Braxis and his gang had made it their headquarters.

Braxis himself wasn't the famous one really; his brother was previously the one that had made a major name for himself. This man had terrorized all kinds of cities, and committed countless crimes. His name was Brilliant Dynamites Neon, and he was helped with the mass havoc from his Badlads Gang.

Braxis was the younger, somewhat less talented brother, always getting picked on and never recognized for anything he accomplished, but now, he had. Braxis and his gang had kidnapped the mayor as well as sheriff of May City: John Strife.

Vash the Stampede usually stayed out of harm's way, not trying to be a flashy hero, (Low profile away from the authorities normally worked the best.) but in this case, Meryl's father's life was on the line.

Meryl had the news of her father's kidnapping, and almost instantly snapped into action. She barely stopped to think things through before embarking on a journey halfway across Gunsmoke. Vash had insisted that he come along and help her anyway possible. Meryl just couldn't saw no to his begging eyes.

Vash and Meryl had left in early afternoon on a four-hour expedition in a hastily rented jeep. Meryl had attempted to give off the impression that today was just another, but Vash knew she could blow her top at any given moment. He decided to keep his head down, and words short. After all, this trip was only a fourth of the way over.

Meryl stared fairly bored out across the unchanging landscape, and sighed. Vash glanced over to her, and nudged her arm, wanting to make conversation. He received an icy glare, and Vash immediately refocused his attention to the road.

"Don't worry. We're already halfway there!" Vash said cheerfully, as their rental dipped smoothly through the grooves of the desert road. Meryl remained silent, and turned her cool eyes back to Gunsmoke's scenery. She sighed again, and Vash unexpectedly yanked the wheel, throwing her into the door with a bang.

"Could you keep us in one piece Needlenoggin?" She shouted angrily, as one of the back tires made a sound like a gunshot. That cheap flimsy tire blew out.

Meryl braced herself between the door handle and dashboard with gritted teeth, awaiting a wreck that was sure to come. Vash spun the wheel in futile effort to steady the skidding vehicle.

"Hang on!" He said severely, yanking the wheel to the right side again.

"What else do you think I'm going to do?"

The small dented jeep finally came to a screeching halt, but not before throwing its two passengers around like a well-used pair of dice. They both breathed a sigh of relief, and gave themselves the once-over.

"Are you okay?" Vash asked numbly, his mind immediately advancing to the safety of others.

"Of course I'm alright!" Meryl snapped, brushing off her shirtfront. "Although, you know that you nearly killed us! What in the world would you do that for?"

"Sorry…there was a cat in the road…a little black cat…" He muttered softly, twiddling his thumbs nervously in his lap.

"Aughh…" Meryl groaned with disgust, as she rolled her eyes, seeing a black cat with wide emerald eyes. It scampered off in flash, as quickly as a wisp of sand. "Stupid cat…" She cursed under her breath.

Vash clambered out of the damaged vehicle, and bent down to inspect the back of what was left of a tire. Pieces of rubber lay in heaps all around the back, and trailing all around their skidded pathway.

"At least we had a clean blowout." Vash reported. Meryl whistled from the car, unimpressed. Vash pocketed his yellow tinted glasses, and began to search through the trunk for a spare tire and hopefully a jack. He easily found what he pursued.

Vash made quick work changing the tire. Vash had always been skilled with his hands; he was an ace gunman after all.

In no more than a minute, Vash was buckling himself back into the driver's seat.

"That was fast." Meryl said with no emotion.

"What? No tip?" Vash joked, and revved the engine. When Meryl didn't smile, he quickly gave the jeep some gas.

Meryl had her hand lazily covering her mouth, with her eyes displaying annoyance, but her heart smiled with pleasure. She loved Vash's jokes, but she didn't want him to know that. As Meryl suppressed a giggle deep in her throat, an almost invisible grin began to appear.

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Hey ho, Quig here! Hope you keep reading! I've already finished this story, and I will be posting up the chapters every day or so. Hope you ARE enjoying it, and I have to say that the story picks up dramatically, so PLEASE keep reading! You will laugh…maybe even cry…Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Around two hours later, Vash and Meryl were beginning to see the hazy outline of Caver City. It was even smaller than they had originally imagined. Vash saw a plant shimmering between the buildings on the horizon, reminding him of who he truly was. Meryl noticed his gaze, and looked down at her lap.

"Where do you think they're keeping him?" Meryl asked quietly, looking up once again, shielding her eyes with a small hand. She squinted, but the town became no clearer. She sighed, feeling discouraged, and sat back in her seat.

"There's only one way to find out!" Vash replied, trying to lighten the dismal mood, and pointed to the many upcoming buildings. "We'll just have to look!" His warm smile was just enough to cause Meryl to smile again, despite the hopeless despair she felt. Vash's smiles always seemed to brighten the darkest situations.

The jeep belched substantial plumes of black smoke from the tailpipe, as it pulled into the entrance of Caver City. Vash and Meryl stopped near a deserted looking house, and stepped out of the car. Meryl shaded her eyes again and looked down the town's main street. A piece of tattered paper aimlessly drifted across their path. She casually bent over, and picked it up.

"Take a look at this." Meryl said smirking, as she passed the paper to Vash. "We might need to get some disguises."

Vash awkwardly held the poster between his fingers, and stared down at his own face vaguely drawn on it. 'Wanted' was boldly scrawled above his picture, bordering his spikey crown. '60,000,000,000 double dollars. Dead or Alive.'

"I guess you're right." Vash agreed and the two quickly disappeared into the shadowy alleyway, abandoning the jeep in the empty main street.

"I am _not _wearing that!" Meryl exclaimed in hushed tones. She was trying to stay quiet, but was thoroughly repulsed by the idea, nonetheless.

"Please! You'll fit right in! Besides, it's only for one night." Vash pleaded, ushering the mass of clothes into her arms. The two could barely breath in the tiny cramped space of he spare wardrobe. They were in the back room of a rather fancy saloon, trying to locate the proper disguises.

"I would rather kill myself than wear that!" Meryl muttered, pointing an accusing finger into Vash's face, hand on her hip. She was utterly disgusted, but when Vash gave her his large puppy dog eyes, she snatched the costume from his hand, not able to resist. "Fine!" She retorted, and turned on her heel, pulling a curtain of clothes between her and her blond companion.

"What are you doing?" Vash asked innocently, cocking his head to the side.

"Do you honestly think I'm going to strip down right here in front of you?" She inquired from behind the wall of multicolored clothing.

"Oh…" Vash said dumbly, and began to leaf though the opposite rack of clothes, hunting for his size. After several minutes, he had settled on a snappy pair of black slacks, and the other matching parts for a tuxedo. A black bowtie accompanied the set, along with the last part of his costume: fine black leather shoes.

"Oh my…I think I'm just going to die…" Meryl whined, and slowly unveiled herself. Vash smiled slyly, nearly dropped his newly found tuxedo when he saw he attire.

Meryl was dressed as a barely decent showgirl. Makeup layered her eyes and face, but the affect was thrown off when she pouted sourly. She wore a short black skirt with red trim, and high thin ruby heels. Crimson red feathers laced around her neck and body, as well as one feather that was fluttering in her sleek black hair. She tried desperately to cover her rather reveling strapless mid drift top, but her efforts only led to more embarrassment. Her frown was the only thing out of place and was ruining her costume; Vash suddenly grabbed the sides of her face.

"Smile a little." He whispered with a grin, as Meryl stared up at him with wide eyes. She could almost she two little horns emerging from his spikes.

"Uh…okay." She said numbly, and smiled slimly. Meryl's eyes darted to the costume in his arms curiously. "So are you going to put it on or not?"

"Of course!" Vash said hurriedly, and began to unbutton his shirt and pants.

"Not here!" She shrieked, and shoved him over another pile of clothes. He toppled over the rack of costumes on his way down, wrecking havoc with each movement. "Idiot." She laughed to herself, as she watched him scramble away.

Minutes later Vash reemerged, strutting like a rooster through the compact wardrobe.

"Well, what do you think?" He asked formally, flattening his collar. His hair was laid back flat, slickly concealing his spikes. Meryl walked up to him, and raised an unbelieving eyebrow.

"You look great." She stammered. "Sharp too." Meryl straightened his crooked bowtie, and patted his coat tenderly.

"You look better…" Vash remarked, his voice trailing off, as his eyes traveled down the flawless form of her body. Meryl flushed a deep scarlet at his comment, but slapped him across the face a moment later when she noticed where he was staring.

"Jerk…" She muttered, rubbing her hand. Meryl strode out of the closet, reluctantly dragging Vash as he massaging his sore face.

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Haha this just keeps getting worse…though I hope you're enjoying the humor! Please leave me reviews! I love those! winks


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Meryl peeked around the edge of the curtain on stage, eyeing the crowd seated around the lavish saloon.

"Do you see him?" Vash asked, trying to glimpse over her, as he bounced impatiently on his toes.

"How would I know what he looks like?" She snapped and hastily gathered the curtains back together. "Let's go grab a table." Meryl grabbed his arm again, and drug him down to floor level where the rest of the guests were seated.

As they made their way down the stairs and across the floor, Meryl draped her body around Vash, exposing more skin. Looks of interest flew in from all directions; some males in the crowd even whistled, only to be slapped by his date.

Vash flushed a slight shade of pink mixed with a ghostly pale. He looked at the girl rubbing herself against him with a dumbfound expression.

"Uh…w-what…are you doing…?" Vash stuttered unsurely, as his eyes widely darted from side to side. Meryl glared icily up at him.

"Just go with it Broomhead." Meryl whispered, a look of irritation etching lines in her face.

"I bet you're enjoying this." Vash muttered softly with a smirk.

"Not on your life." Meryl retorted and looked him strait in the eyes. "We need to get information, and our costumes need to look believable." Vash could see it in her eyes; she was determined and willing to do anything to save her father in that moment.

Vash raised a curious eyebrow, suddenly realizing how good his evening was about to get. He reached down behind him, and grabbed Meryl's lower backside, to put it nicely. He smirked again at the short, black haired woman with a look of content. Meryl clenched her teeth, barely restraining herself from slapping him right then.

"I'll get you later." She seethed, and stomped on Vash's foot, as she sat down at the table. Vash winced, also seating himself, and hailed a waiter. Meryl took the opportunity to examine her surroundings more closely.

Vash and Meryl were presently seated at a candle lit table, the same as many that surrounded them. It was a formal saloon, so much that it probably didn't deserve the degrading name of 'saloon'. Everyone around seemed to be dressed just as Vash and Meryl, all except for one person.

This man that plainly stuck out in Meryl's vision was dressed in grimy, worn-out clothing. It was most likely tattered from work or a life of crime. He had the largest table in the house, and looked to have already had several glasses of wine. Two girls hung on each of his arms, fawning over every little thing he said or did. This was a perfect description of the suspected kidnapper, and was now a blatant target for Meryl.

"Vash." Meryl whispered, pulling him toward her.

"Hmm?" Vash mumbled through a mouth full of donuts. He was shocked this place actually served the sugary delight.

"That man," She pointed at him discretely, as one of his girls giggled loudly. "I'm going to have a word with him." She stood quickly, a determined look glinted in her eye, but Vash grabbed her hand, restraining her. He took a subtle swallow and looked her sharply in the eyes.

"Be careful." He said with a serious tone to his voice. His powerful stare intensified, and shook her frame slightly. "Call if you need me." Meryl hesitated a moment, then proceeded to the man's table.

As she sashayed her way across the floor, many of the previous eyes turned her direction, followed by new customers. Meryl felt as if she would drown from all the drooling gazes enveloping her, as she stood next to the largest table in the room. The man she wished to see caught sight of the violet-eyed female, and his mouth pulled into a hungry look of excitement. He whispered something to each of his girls, and they abruptly rose from the table. They left only moments later, throwing nasty glances at Meryl along the way, and kissed their date goodbye.

"Well hello there." He said brazenly, as Meryl batted her eyes, full of deception. The man pulled out the chair to his right and patted the seat, motioning for her to join him.

Meryl sat down, and an unwanted arm wrapped around her shoulder. The man poured a glass of burgundy wine, and promptly offered it to her. Meryl took the glass and sipped it politely.

"So what's your name?" The man asked, slurring his speech slightly, as he pulled her nearer. Meryl could smell the alcohol on his breath, and tried her best not to gag.

"Coco." She replied smoothly, taking another hasty sip of her wine. Meryl then fluffed her feather boa once for emphasis. "What's _yours,_" She coughed once and quickly added, "handsome?" He grinned widely, and gulped down another glass contently.

"Braxis. Leader of this here town." He puffed out his chest proudly and drained yet another glass of maroon-colored liquid. Meryl soaked in every detail of his face, memorizing her father's kidnapper. She wanted to call out to Vash and take Braxis out while they still had a chance, but she knew in her heart, even though it pained her deeply, that she would have to wait. Meryl would never be able to find John if she took the man into custody then.

"Well that's certainly a…_strong _name." Meryl said slickly, tracing her index finger in circles on his jacket. Braxis' mouth hung open as Meryl's eyes wholly seduced him.

"You bet it is." He said shortly and stood up form the table. Braxis pulled Meryl to her feet as well, keeping a firm grip on her wrist. Her eyes darted back to Vash in alarm, as Braxis began to drag her away with an eager look gleaming in his eye. He stumbled once or twice, but still managed to drag Meryl away using sheer brute force.

Vash was too busy watching the skimpily dressed girls dancing on stage to even notice the impending danger.

_Why didn't I bring a derringer with me? _Meryl thought frantically, as was unwilling led out of the saloon.

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I know many of you are ready to kill me for all that…ishness, to put it politely. quotes from ch. 3 I KNOW that was REALLY strange…I promise that's all of that. THOUGH, the story still goes on! Please continue to Read and Review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Vash watched in utter amazement as the girls on stage danced in a way he thought impossible. _Why can't plants look this good? _He thought with an expression of daydreaming, as a perky waiter appeared once again beside his table.

"A note for you sir." The man said, forcing Vash to break concentration with the stage.

"Huh?"

"From the lady over there." The waiter pointed to a blonde haired woman across the room sitting alone. She winked at him casually, and Vash's eye twitched animatedly. He waved, feeling himself already rising from his chair. "If you need anything else from me, just call. I'll be over there." The waiter said quickly and scurried off. This simple phrase sparked Vash's memory, stopping him in mid step. He was supposed to be keeping a sharp eye on Meryl, but had failed miserably.

Vash looked to his future date, and hung his head sadly. _It just wasn't meant to be._ He concluded with a frown, and glanced back to the table that Meryl had been seated at previously. She had disappeared.

Vash felt the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. He made a split second decision and rushed toward the exit. _I shouldn't have let her go! _ He sprinted out into the street, not seeing anyone. Two Thomases were hitched outside the door. Vash reached inside his jacket and revealed his revolver, as he jumped over the back of one of the sandy beasts. _Don't worry Meryl. I'll find you. _He promised himself and rode off with haste.

Meryl was hurriedly forced into the back of a car that sped off as soon as the door was shut. She still refused to let her panic leak through to the surface. Meryl looked at her captor in the driver's seat beside her.

"I figured we could back to my place." Braxis said coolly, hinting in a direction Meryl did not want to go. "Is that okay Miss Coco?" He asked, not hearing any direct response

"What? Oh yes, ahem, yes. That sounds _wonderful._" Meryl had nearly blown it, but she quickly recovered, laying the ending on thick. Braxis laughed gruffly, enjoying himself.

Several minutes later, the two unlikely passengers climbed out of the car, and into a dusty house. It was one of the larger buildings on the street, but certainly not the nicest. Meryl was led inside this disgraceful looking home, an uneasy feeling brewing in the pit of her stomach. Before she was swallowed up in this unfamiliar territory, she took a quick, desperate glance over her shoulder. No one, just as she had thought, was coming to help her.

Vash was currently on a wild ride down the unpaved road, as dirt flew up all around him. The Thomas' back was hard and unforgiving as he bounced along. He had the Thomas' reins in a death grip with one hand and his sliver revolver in the other. His blonde hair hung loosely down in his eyes; oh how he longed for a nice tin of hair gel.

A casual passerby was walking along the road, strolling to no where in particular. Vash decided to take the opportunity and ask for help.

"Hey!" He shouted and yanked back on the animal's reins. The Thomas had no choice but to comply with Vash's wishes and skidded to a halt.

The curious man looked up, seeming a bit absent minded. He stared up at Vash with big silent eyes. The expression on his face was bland, and he stood unmoving.

"Do you know where Braxis lives?" Vash asked quickly, still breathing hard from his struggle with the Thomas. The man noiselessly raised his right hand and pointed to a large house farther down the road. "Are you sure?" The man nodded faintly. "Alright, thanks very much!" The gunman said gratefully and gave the Thomas a swift kick in the side, urging it to continue the run.

Vash waved his hand with the gun clasped tightly in his fist over his shoulder, as he hastily approached Braxis' home.

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PLEASE continue to read! Oh and review too! It only gets better from here!

Love Quig


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

As Meryl was led promptly through Braxis' home, she noticed a number of abnormal things about it. First, the inside was as grungy as the man that led her was, and the smell was atrocious. There were plenty of maids, servants, and henchmen inside, but they all just seemed to be standing around, doing absolutely nothing. They all just stared at the dark haired curiously, as she was shoved in through another door.

Meryl tumbled onto the floor of Braxis' bedroom with a thump. He left her there, and slammed the door as he left. Meryl pushed her hair back on her forehead, and immediately ran to the door. Just as she suspected, the door was locked tight.

Meryl slowly turned on her heel and sat down upon the dilapidated bed. She felt defeated. Hope seemed gone, as she realized she was now being held captive like her father. Her surroundings made her feel no better. Meryl held her face in her hands and a lazy tear slid down her nose.

"I'm sorry Dad…" She whispered softly, and sniffed. Meryl's mind began to flash back memories of her father. She remembered all of the fun times she had spent with him all through her childhood. The string of memories eventually led up to her job at the Bernardelli Insurance Company, where she and her partner Miller were assigned to keep a 24-hour surveillance on the first localized disaster, Vash the Stampede. She remembered his bright smile she had learned to love, and his unusual enjoyment of donuts. She could almost see his determined look, urging her to keep moving. _What's wrong with you Meryl? Don't you _dare _give up so easily! _She looked up, a newfound spirit glimmering in her eyes.

Meryl rose from the bedside and scanned the room for some sort of weapon. Unfortunately, she found nothing.

She stalked over to the door, running her fingers through her solid black hair until she discovered a tiny silver pin. She quickly jammed it into the lock and in no time at all freed herself. She sprinted out the door, away from her prison. Time, Meryl was positive, was of the essence, as Braxis could return at any moment.

Vash hurriedly wrapped the Thomas' reins around a storefront's pole, and rushed toward the side window of Braxis' home. He peered through the grime-covered pane, not seeing anyone that posed a threat.

Vash quietly creaked open the window and slipped inside. He expressed a quick "eep!" and landed flat on his face. Nobody seemed to notice his spill, which was a big bonus on his 'sneaky' entrance.

Vash moved, slinking across the hallway. He watched cautiously in all directions, and stepped backwards the light balls of his feet. He then suddenly collided with somebody else behind him.

"Sorry!" Vash exclaimed instinctively, and turned around to face the person he had bumped into.

Meryl stood behind him on the brink of tears. Her face was a frightened pale, and she trembled all over.

"Meryl…" Vash said gently, staring down at the frightened girl. She ran up to him suddenly and threw her arms around his waist. She sobbed softly, staining the front of the blonde's dinner jacket.

Vash pulled Meryl away and held her at arm's length, fixing his eyes intently into her own puffy ones. She tried to dodge his piercing gaze, but it was useless.

"Did he hurt you?" Vash asked, seriousness drenching every fiber of his voice. Meryl remained silent. "Answer me Meryl!" He shook her shoulders roughly, forcing her to make eye contact. "Did he hurt you in _any _way?"

"No…"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Good." Vash grabbed her arm, taking control, and dragged Meryl into a secluded corner. "Listen to me very closely." Meryl wiped her eyes and stared up at Vash attentively. "We have to search for your father. Do you have any ideas?"

"Maybe upstairs?" Meryl input softly.

"Great. We are _not _splitting up again unless absolutely necessary. Got it?" Vash continued, wanting to be sure that she understood.

"Yes!" Meryl exclaimed, balling her hand into a tiny fist. Vash smiled; he was glad to see the forgotten spark back in her eyes. The two started up the stairs, trying to appear casual.

Meryl yawned as she and Vash crested the staircase. She rubbed her eyes and glanced at a wall clock. It was 2:27 in the morning. _No wonder I'm so tired…_She thought and looked to the blonde walking beside her. He shook his head, trying to remain focused on the task ahead, but seemed to be having more trouble than she. Vash's eyes drooped, as he nearly tripped over the top step.

"Oops…" He mumbled sheepishly.

"Maybe we should find somewhere to sleep." Meryl offered hopefully. Vash nodded in agreement and scouted the surrounding area. He gave the all-clear thumbs up sign, and Meryl followed him into a small bathroom. "I guess this works." She said in a disheartened tone.

Vash made certain to lock the door once the two were inside. Meryl shivered slightly, as she was still wearing her skimpy outfit. Vash shrugged off his black jacket and unexpectedly draped it around Meryl's shoulders.

"Thanks." She said quietly, curling up on the floor mat.

"No problem." He replied and sat down in the tub. It was a small bath, so his legs traveled halfway up the adjacent wall. Either way, it would suffice.

Vash tried to keep his head up to keep an eye on Meryl, but his tiredness slowly washed over him. Soon, it was too much, and he fell deeply into sleep. His snores echoed throughout the bathroom.

Meryl, on the other hand, couldn't sleep at all. She rolled under Vash's jacket, unable to put her mind to rest. She just couldn't stop thinking about her father, no matter how hard she tried.

Meryl quietly rose to her feet, and slipped the jacket from her shoulders. She tiptoed over to the sleeping gunman, who was sprawled out across the curved sides of the tub, and lightly placed the jacket over him. She removed a sparkling red feather from her hair, and neatly tucked it in the coat's breast pocket. Meryl smiled briefly as the blonde snorted and turned over.

"I'm sorry Vash." She whispered. "I just can't wait to save my father." Meryl silently crossed the tiled floor and locked the door behind her.

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I'm doing my best to get these chapters typed up. I have midterms to study for…. ;

Aw well, I hope you're still enjoying this story! Please read and review!

-Quig-


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Here Vash!" A longhaired brunette said cheerfully, as she handed the blonde man a steaming plate of freshly baked donuts. He smiled widely and began to stuff his face, smearing the glazed sugar on his cheeks. The girl hovered over him, hands clasped behind her back, obviously pleased.

"Hey Rem." Vash said, swallowing a sugary mouthful.

"Hmm?" Rem was whistling her favorite song, Sound Life, faintly. The sweet notes floated on the soft breeze, echoing through the empty air.

Vash looked up at her, watching intently, as his eyes glazed over.

"Never mind." He said quickly and downcast his looks down at his feet. Looking at her was suddenly the last thing on his list.

Rem squatted down and tenderly grabbed his chin. She lifted his face to meet hers, as she smiled. He looked up into her eyes, and noticed a major difference.

Rem was no longer Rem. Rem was Meryl.

Vash jumped back in alarm, but Meryl held him firmly. She was back in that revealing costume again, and had a strange smirk on her face. She began to crawl forward and on top of Vash. His eyes grew wide, as he leaned back, soon laying flat. Meryl sat propped up on his chest, leaning on one elbow smugly.

"What's wrong Vash?" She purred in a silky tone Vash had never heard her use. Meryl leaned close to his face, and his heart beat rapidly in his chest. Her nose nearly touched his, as her eyelashes batted enchantingly. Meryl licked the tip of Vash's nose lightly. He couldn't move an inch; her violet eyes had tied him to the spot.

Vash blinked his eyes rapidly, desperately trying to escape, and saw a black, green-eyed cat lying on his chest. It was licking his nose contently, and seemed to have a devious smile on its face.

"Gah!" Vash shrieked, knocking the feline from its lofty perch. The lime-eyed cat scampered away, disappearing behind an unused laundry basket. "Blasted cat…" He muttered angrily, as he shook his head vigorously, trying to dislodge that dream from his mind. _Meryl never needs to know about that one. _Vash decided, wincing at the idea of her discovering his thought. _Speaking of Meryl…_

"Hey Insurance Girl." Vash called, as he looked over to the opposite side of the bathroom. She was again, for the second time tonight, nowhere to be seen. "Meryl!" He jumped out of the tub, miraculously not slipping along the way.

Vash's dinner jacket slid off his front, and a red feather lazily drifted to the floor tiles. He bent over and picked it up curiously. _She left this on purpose. _He concluded. _Meryl just couldn't wait anymore._

The outlaw left his jacket on the counter top, and rolled his white sleeves about halfway up his forearm. He unfastened the top couple of buttons and untied his bowtie, also leaving it beside his jacket. He then tucked his revolver safely in his pants waistband.

Vash looked at the crimson-colored feather one last time, feeling it silky texture run between his fingers. He closed his eyes thinking, and tucked it in his white shirt's breast pocket for luck. He then turned and proceeded out the bathroom door.

Meryl peeked around corners and eavesdropped on many conversations, but still no question seemed to be answered. The only redeemable factor as she snuck around was the fact that if she were caught, no one would suspect a thing. Everyone around was positive that Meryl was just another on of Braxis' girls over to spend the night. She had free, unrestricted access to anywhere she pleased.

Finally, Meryl came across two dumb looking men speaking to one another in the hallway. She stopped behind a cabinet and listened intently to their conversation.

"So where's scorpion?" One bald guy with an apron securely fastened around his midsection asked his much skinner acquaintance.

"Upstairs in the attic, I think." The rough man replied in a bored tone. He absentmindedly dug dirt from under fingernails with a knife blade. The other, rather impatient man folded his arms, and looked to the clock on the opposite wall.

"Uhg," He said unhappily. "Why can't they ever torture the captives down here?" Meryl's mind snapped into overdrive as her pulse quickened suddenly. She had to restrain herself from jumping with excitement.

"I dunno." The man yawned in reply, and scratched his unclean head of hair with the knife's hilt.

"Well it's no help to us chefs with a schedule to keep! How are _we_ supposed to know how _they _want their steaks cooked, hmm?" The chef huffed, clearly irritated, and walked off at a brisk pace without waiting for an answer.

Meryl decided that her best bet and only lead was to follow this man. The 'captive' must have been her father! This chef could be the key to finding him at last.

She scurried quickly towards the door, not receiving a second glance from the guy supposedly 'guarding' the door to the attic.

Meryl followed behind the agitated man, who was constantly muttering angrily to himself, at a safe distance. She followed him up a large flight of stairs completely masked with darkness. She could only follow his heavy footsteps and hope she didn't trip, or bump into her rather large friend.

The dark haired girl could hear faint voices at the top the stairs, immediately signaling that she wouldn't be alone with the mindless chef for long.

Meryl then heard two rumbling footsteps directly before her, but she had no time to react. She collided with the chef already descending the staircase.

"Oh my bad!" The man exclaimed suddenly. Meryl remained silent, petrified with fear. The man lumbered on, and she realized with a sigh of relief that he could see no better than she! _He just thought I was one of the kidnappers!_ Meryl breathed a short breath, regaining control of her rapid heart rate, as she began to climb higher.

The temperature changed dramatically, as she neared the uppermost part of the building. A bead of sweat rolled down her face, as she peeped over the top edge of the stairwell.

Two guardsmen sat on boxes looking bored. There were mounds of nameless junk cluttering the area around them as well as the rest of the attic space. Meryl could see it all from the light faintly streaming in through the rotating fan in the roof. The moons shone this little bit of light that passed through, casting shadows on everything.

There was another man pacing in front of a chair with a battered man tied to it. The prisoner was blindfolded and his clothes were tattered to nothing more than shreds from severe beatings he had taken. Blood and bruises caked his skin, and his breathing rattled in the small hot space.

"Tell me!" The angry man before the captive screamed, and kicked the tied man in the shins. _Dad!_ Meryl gasped, but quickly covered her mouth. A shining tear meandered down her face, and dripped atop the dusty stair.

Meryl's father remained silent throughout the entire abuse. He was a hard man to break and was as stubborn as a mule; Meryl got it honestly.

"I'm only going to ask you one more time," The sinister man began, as he turned his back to John Strife. His face flashed in the moons' light, and Meryl instantly recognized her father's captor: it was Braxis.

Braxis spun about, swiftly pulling a pistol to John's temple. The blindfolded man's lip quivered and his body stiffened as he felt the cold steel on his skin.

"Tell me!" Braxis shouted again, and cocked his weapon loudly. His finger was itching to pull the trigger.

"Stop! Don't shoot!" Meryl screamed and leaped toward Braxis. She aligned herself with the gun and knocked it from his grip. The metallic sound resounded ominously, as it clattered to the floor.

"What are…?" The stunned man stammered in confusion.

"Meryl…?" John called out weakly. It was the first time he had spoke in days so his voice was crackled. "Is that you?" Braxis began to look frantically from father to daughter, finally discovering the family resemblance between the two.

"Why you!" He exclaimed, anger boiling in his eyes, as her grabbed Meryl by the wrist, throwing her roughly to the wooded floorboards.

"Coyote! Scorpion! Tie her tight! Then take her and her _daddy _down stairs!" Braxis roared furiously and stomped down the stairs.

A blindfold was hastily thrown over Meryl's eyes, and her hands were bound tightly behind her back. The ropes cut into her skin, leaving deep impressions.

The two large men with greedy smiles on their faces hoisted her and John over their shoulder and carried them down the staircase.

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Oh, tis getting exciting… Please keep reading and reviewing! I love them!

-Quig-


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Let me go!" Meryl screamed, as kicked her legs wildly.

"Shut it woman!" One of the brute men named Coyote yelled, and hit Meryl swiftly in the back of the head with a tightly curled fist. She bit her tongue and a drop of blood appeared on his lower lip.

The two men that carried Meryl and her father through the house were Braxis' number one henchmen. One was named Scorpion, and the other was his partner Coyote. The men were covered in tattoos, mainly reflecting their nicknames. Both were just as cruel and merciless.

Coyote kicked open a door at the bottom of the dark stairs, and hauled the struggling Meryl out over his shoulder. She squeezed her tightly, restricting normal breathing. His muscles bulged and his dark buzzed hair prickled with apprehension. Scorpion was right behind carrying John.

Meryl knew she was in serious trouble and the situation was escalation out of her control. _I need help…_Meryl thought frantically and did the only thing left she could think of.

"Vash!" She screeched as loud as she could muster from her crushed ribcage. "Help…!" A large hand clapped over her mouth cutting off her distressed cries for help, and shook her head violently.

"I said shut it!" Coyote growled, releasing his grip from the shaken girl's face. He opened the next door into a large and rather empty room. There was a thick sheet of glass dividing the room into two separate sides. A soft light glowed from a bulb swinging slowly overhead, casting dismal shadows on the two prisoners. The room had a thick layer of dust covering it, just as the rest of the house, but instead, had no junk cluttering its interior.

John and Meryl were dropped rudely, and both were left tied in an uncomfortable position. Meryl's face was pressed against the ground and her left arm was pinned behind her back. John's hands, both still behind his back, were digging into his back, as he faced the ceiling. Both father and daughter were silent, unsure of what to say first.

Vash rushed out into the hallway, not knowing which way Meryl could have gone. He turned uncertainly, checking every possible option. _I need a clue Meryl…anything! Please! _He scanned the area for some sort of hint that she might of left for him to follow.

"Vash!" A high-pitched woman's voice screamed and rang in his ears like a bell. "Help…!" Vash didn't hesitate a moment longer; he sprinted downstairs, skipping two steps at a time.

The concerned man's heart pounded in his chest with excitement, as he dashed to Meryl's muffled shrieks. With each footfall, he could feel his confidence building. He hadn't even removed his revolver from his belt; he had almost forgotten about it.

A door slammed up ahead. Vash took a deep breath and skidded around one final corner, praying this was it.

Two men were waiting for him, cracking their knuckles threateningly. Their balled their over-sized hands into fists, and the skinny blonde's eyes grew wide. Vash didn't know which man hit him first; the next thing he saw was hard, unforgiving ground slamming up against his face.

Scorpion and Coyote latched on to either of Vash's arms and drug him across the floor. The disoriented man's toes of his leather shoes scraped the ground, as his head spun, struggling to focus.

They lugged Vash's dead weight farther down the hallway, and then Coyote flung open another door. Scorpion threw Vash inside, leaving him unsettled heap.

The confused man raised his head slowly, squinting, and saw a large wall of glass before him. He blinked twice, and could barely make out two wavering figures beyond the shining surface.

"Vash!" A hazy voice called behind the glass. He shook his head, trying to refocus. Meryl and her father were staring at him, concern enveloping their eyes. Somehow, both had managed to wriggle out of their blindfolds and rope bindings.

"Meryl!" Vash said weakly in return, and crawled toward the glass. Meryl followed suit, and placed her hands gently on the glass' slick surface. Vash slid his hands against the glass, matching her placement. His fingers overlapped her tiny palms, and both smiled warmly at one another.

Though, their love and peace didn't last long; a door was heaved open suddenly on Meryl's half of the room.

"You witch!" Braxis screamed, as he stomped over to the frightened girl, completely bypassing John. He snatched her up by her arm between the elbow and shoulder, and slapped her hard across the face. She winced slightly, but remained unmoved by his actions. Braxis grinded his teeth in anger, and repeatedly slapped her.

"Stop it!" Vash screamed, pounding his fists against the glass. "Stop!" Meryl never made a sound at his frantic cries, but instead let a tear leak down her face.

"I'll kill you!" Braxis shouted and kicked Meryl to the ground harshly. His shaking hand removed a pistol from beneath his coat, and aimed it at the battered woman shaking on the floor.

Meryl made a quick, desperate glance to Vash, and saw that he was beating his fist bloody against the clear wall separating the two. She closed her eyes as another tear dripped off her eyelashes.

Braxis easily pulled the trigger a moment later with a smile twisted with pleasure on his face.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

She could feel it. The hot lead creeping into her chest. The pain was unbearable. _I'm dead._ Meryl concluded. She knew this was the only explanation.

"I-I…" Someone stuttered nearby. Meryl slowly opened her eyes and gasped.

Meryl wasn't the one dying. She wasn't even injured anymore than the few cuts and bruises from before. However, someone else was: John had taken the bullet for his daughter.

"I-I love…" He was stammering unwillingly, gasping for air as he collapsed to his knees.

"Dad!" Meryl screamed, as she rushed to her father's side, catching him as he fell to the floor. "No!" The tears were pouring down her cheeks, as she pulled him to her chest. His blood stained her skin, so much that not even her tears could wash it away.

"I-I love you…Meryl." John said on last time, and his eyes closed little by little, until they were completely closed. His hand, grasped tightly by Meryl, had gone limp. She continued to squeeze it, willing him to return, but she realized this was a futile effort, and laid his hand to the floor.

"I love you too Daddy…" She whispered softly, rising to her feet.

Braxis had a sick look of satisfaction on his face, and still he yearned for more. He cocked the hammer on his pistol again, and made the barrel level with Meryl's heart.

"You'll die too." He said demonically. A faint gleam of blood lust sparkled in his eyes.

A wave of pure terror passed through the young girl, as she turned and ran to the wall of glass, throwing herself up against it.

"Vash!" She screamed, seeing the blonde beat down to his knees by a large man. They had dragged him away from the glass, and Meryl knew that she was completely defenseless.

Vash looked up into her eyes, and watched them go blank, as another deadly bullet was shot.

"Stop it!" Vash yelled and pound his fists on the glass, as he watched Meryl get slapped relentlessly. Few tears leaked down her face, as her bruises multiplied. The useless gunman pounded his fists with such force and aggression, that they began to smear the glass with his blood.

Vash suddenly felt two strong arms wrap around his waist and topple him over backwards. He rubbed his head wearily, and gazed up at the two large men standing over him. He smiled unsurely, but Scorpion ended the smirk quickly with a swift kick to his ribcage. Vash yelped, and groped at his stinging side. Scorpion smiled darkly at the man rolling in pain on the floor, and stepped on his fingers, crushing them easily.

With his other hand that was not shattered, Vash fumbled with the revolver in his belt. Coyote causally knocked the weapon away, and punched the struggling blonde hard across the face. Vash skidded across the floor, flipping along the way, and clutched his side when he came to a halt. Blood dribbled from his lip, smattered the floor with crimson.

A deafening gunshot then rang in Vash's ears, but he was unable to turn and look. His heart was beating like crazy again, as the shaggy haired-man approached.

Scorpion gripped one of the beaten man's arms, raising him shakily to his feet. Vash's legs trembled, unable to support his own weight. He looked up, a daze in his eyes, and vaguely saw a gun pointed at Meryl. She turned, panic in her eyes, and rushed to the glass crying.

"Vash!" She shouted, as her expression washed to emptiness only found in death. Her screams had not masked the sound of a deadly bullet embedding itself into her back.

Vash reached his hand out quaking, and somewhere deep inside he found a spark of strength. He suddenly rushed forward, but before he had gone two steps, a quick fist brought him down to his knees, knocking the breath from his chest.

"Meryl!" Vash heard himself shout. Her deep violet eyes began to fade into darkness, as droplets of blood spilled from the corners of her mouth. She let her fingers slid over the glass, and she collapsed into a crumpled heap on the floor.

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Oh! Meryl can't be dead…can she? Keep reading to find out! Last chapter after this! pulls out the box of tissues

-Quig-


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Vash's mind went into overdrive. He couldn't think; he couldn't breath. Everything he was about to do was purely on animal instinct.

He rapidly elbowed Scorpion in the chest, making him lose his grip on Vash's arm.

"You sons of…!" Vash screamed, and punched Coyote, cleanly breaking his nose. The furious blonde rolled across the floor, scooping up his revolver in a rush. He held it poised for action, and glared at his two attackers.

Coyote was massaging his bloody nose, and Scorpion was beginning to regain his lost breath. Vash looked angrier than before, almost out of control, but still tried to keep his emotions in check. He fired two bullets in succession, downing each of the henchmen with a large rumble to the ground.

Vash's heart still told him not to kill; not even the scum of the world like these two. He had simply incapacitated them in way where they wouldn't be getting back up for a while. He was confident that neither of these men would cause him to bring out his dark, merciless side.

Vash fired a single burst over his shoulder and shattered the wall of glass behind him. He sprinted toward the hole, as the shards still fell dangerously. He didn't care, and jumped towards Braxis on the opposite side of the room. The determined man's face was sliced, and blood dripped down his cheeks.

Vash planted both of his feet firmly before on the ground before Braxis, and twisted the man's arm. His weapon clattered to the floor, as Braxis let out a cry of pain.

"What…?" Braxis mumbled in confusion, rubbing his right arm. He stared at the gunman before him with wide, frightened eyes. _I've never seen anyone move that fast before! He couldn't possibly be human! _The last fact about this blonde man who was pointing a gun barrel between his eyes scared Braxis the very most: He had pulled the entire stunt with his eyes closed.

Vash, almost reading the kidnapper's thoughts, opened his eyes slightly, emitting a hate filled gaze. His eyes seemed to scald the frozen Braxis with deadly poison. There was nothing he could do. His life, Braxis was sure, would cease to exist in a matter of seconds. He gulped once, preparing himself for the end.

"Get out." Vash said calmly, but not without an underlying threat in his voice.

"What…?" Braxis trembled worse than a leaf on a windy day. His skin was as white as a sheet.

"Now. Leave. I _never _want to see your face, or even _hear _of you ever again." Vash narrowed his eyes to menacing slits. Braxis took a hesitant step back. "If you so much as breathe the air around this town again, I _will_ kill you." That was all the instruction that Braxis needed; he was gone, not bothering to pack his bags along the way.

Vash dropped his gun, and stiffly turned around, inhaling deeply. He was by Meryl's side a moment later, tenderly scooping her lifeless form in his arms. He held her tightly, and felt Meryl's cold blood running through his fingers. Tears streamed down his cheeks, mixing with his blood. He prayed to see her eyelids flutter; anything showing a sign of hope, but none appeared. Vash ducked his head, shaking all over, and cried shameless for the one he loved.

The breeze felt gentle and warm against his skin. It was sundown on Gunsmoke, and the sky was portraying the most beautiful sight any man had ever seen. However, Vash was not looking at the sky or the colors reflecting all around him; he was intensely focused on the two hand dug graves before him with not a tear in his eye.

Vash stood thinking sadly with his hands buried deeply in his pockets. _All that time we shared and I never even got to tell her how I feel. _He knelt down in his bright red coat before Meryl's grave. He pulled a crimson feather from his pocket and pressed it to his lips.

"This is for you Meryl." Vash whispered softly, and laid it gently on her grave.

Vash removed his yellow tinted glasses from his opposite pocket, and pushed them up on the bridge of his nose. His blue eyes hid behind the golden tapestry sobbing deep down in his heart. He had promised Meryl he would never cry for her again.

Vash turned and walked into the raging fires of the sunset that were burning with a newfound passion. The dirt and sand scuffed up about his heel, as he finally looked to the skyline. _I feel like I've lost a part of me…_

The End

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All right, go ahead. Shoot me. I know I'm evil for killing Meryl…pulls out tissues and passes them around Told you, you would need them! I know it was a bit depressing, but sweet nonetheless…Tell me what you thought of the story! Please review!

Oh! And this song's lyrics…please read them since you've finished A Part of Me. I think it goes well with the story.

Lullabye (Goodnight My Angel)

Billy Joel

Goodnight, my angel  
Time to close your eyes  
And save these questions for another day  
I think I know what you've been asking me  
I think you know what I've been trying to say  
I promised I would never leave you  
And you should always know  
Wherever you may go  
No matter where you are  
I never will be far away

Goodnight, my angel  
Now it's time to sleep  
And still so many things I want to say  
Remember all the songs you sang for me  
When we went sailing on an emerald bay  
And like a boat out on the ocean  
I'm rocking you to sleep  
The water's dark and deep  
Inside this ancient heart  
You'll always be a part of me

Lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu   
lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu-lu

Goodnight, my angel  
Now it's time to dream  
And dream how wonderful your life will be  
Someday your child may cry  
And if you sing this lullabye  
Then in your heart  
There will always be a part of me

Someday we'll all be gone  
But lullabyes go on and on...  
They never die  
That's how you  
And I  
Will be


End file.
